Advani did nothing to stop Babri demolition, says PM

New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) Hitting out at the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday said L.K. Advani was present at the time of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 but did nothing to stop its destruction. “What is the record of Advaniji? He was present at the time when Babri Masjid was demolished. If he was a strong leader, he would have staked his reputation in preventing the carnage,” Manmohan Singh said in an interaction with the Indian Women’s Press Corps at the Taj Palace Hotel here.

Attacking Advani for calling him a weak prime minister, Manmohan Singh retorted: “I am not used to abusive language. That is the culture inherited from parents, from teachers and the concept of what Indianness is.”

“Using harsh language does not solve any problem and accentuates conflict,” he added.

Alluding to Advani’s challenge to him for a national debate, Manmohan Singh said that I can’t match “Advaniji in public speaking or asserting things”.

“I believe that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. What is the record of Advani?,” he said.

“The BJP has not allowed parliament to function. The BJP shied away from all these discussions and now Advani wants to come and debate with me. And I don’t want to give him the privilege that he is an alternative prime minister,” he said.

Manmohan Singh also took on Advani for taunting him for not contesting Lok Sabha polls. “There have been PMs from Rajya Sabha. Advani has to amend the Constitution to ensure that his wishes prevail. Indira Gandhi had been one for one and half years, H.D. Deve Gowda, I.K. Gujral too,” he replied when asked whether he was planning to contest Lok Sabha polls.